Seating structures typically are tested to ensure compliance with various durability standards. For example, office chairs may be tested in accordance with various ANSI/BIFMA standards, including for example ANSI/BIFMA X5.1-2002 (e.g, backrest durability tests—cyclic I, II and III). The test devices prescribed in such standards, however, may be more suitable for one type of chair as compared with others. For example, a load applying device, which may include a bridging member, may be limited in height, thereby increasing the point loads applied to the backrest of the chair. While suitable for various seating structures having a uniformly rigid back structure, such devices may not provide as reliable results for seating structures having more flexible body support structures, such as a suspended fabric or polymeric materials. Indeed, the non-anthropometric load applying devices may have a tendency to rip or tear the suspension material after repeated cycles due to the configuration of the devices, such that the testing does not accurately reflect the true durability of the seating structure. Conversely, such devices may mask actual failures that occur in the field due to actual use applications.
In addition, it may difficult to accurately position the load applying device at the designated height, since the device is not linked or tied to the seating surface. Moreover, seating structures may be configured in different sizes to accommodate different user populations. A “one size fits all” load applying device may not optimally interface with differently configured seating structures.